Child care costs and fees

What you pay for

Child care services can set their own fees, and daily fees can vary a lot across services. Fees are affected by many things, such as the service’s location, the types of care the service offers and any extra services or resources it supplies (for example, meals and nappies).

Many child care services charge fees for days when children are away, or if the service is closed for public holidays. It’s a good idea to ask your child care service about its policies and procedures for fee payments when you enrol your child.

What you might pay

Daily fees are usually between $70 and $120 per day, depending on the child care centre.

In 2010, the median weekly child care fees across Australia (based on 50 hours of care in a week) were as follows:

• long-day care centres – $285
• family day care schemes – $270.

Fees across Australia vary depending on which state you’re in.

In 2010, the lowest median weekly fee for long-day care was $270 (Tasmania, South Australia and Queensland). The highest median weekly fee was $345 (ACT).

For family day care, the lowest median weekly fee was $255 (South Australia), with the highest median weekly fee being $315 (ACT).

Government assistance

The Australian Government offers financial assistance to help with the cost of child care. This can reduce your child care costs a lot.

You have a few options. Each option has eligibility criteria depending on your situation:

• Child Care Benefit (CCB): this is available to you if you’re a parent, foster parent, grandparent or kinship carer with a child in your care who attends a child care centre approved by or registered with the government.
• Child Care Rebate: this provides extra financial assistance if you use approved childcare or if you’re working, studying or training during the week. The child care rebate covers half of your out-of-pocket costs (up to a yearly cap of $7500 per child depending on your circumstances). This can be paid into your bank account or to the child care centre, fortnightly, every three months, or once a year.
• Jobs, Education and Training (JET): Child Care fee assistance – this provides extra help if you’re on an income support payment, looking for work, studying or starting a job. This will cover most of your costs.

Special needs

If you have a child with additional or special needs, you might be entitled to in-home child care assistance from the government. The government can also provide extra support to child care services to help them meet the needs of your child.

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